Switch-controlling device



May 14, 1929. F. E. LUMLEY SWITCH ONTROLLING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1927 l 1 l u I v. hu

ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK Vn. LMLEY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

sw'ITcH-coNTBoLLING i DEVICE.

Application filed March' 25, 1927. Serial No. 178,474.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in controlling devices and particularly to devices of this kind adapted to control pressure or vacuum systems. The s1 ccific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is adapted for usage to control a vacuum" cleaning system.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a controlling device which will permit continuous operation of such a system.

Another object of'my invention is to provide a controlling device which will be simple in construction, efficient in operation, and which may be expeditiously installed.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists inthe novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which: l Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved apparatus, partly in elevation and partly insection; y

Fig. 2 is a cetail view taken on the -line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is asectional detail view taken on the line 3-5 of Fig. 1.

The preferred embodiment of my inventionrillustrated in the drawing comprises a pressure operated device which includes a cylinder in which a piston 11 is slidably mounted. The lower part of the cylinder 10 includes an inlet 12 in which a pipe 13 is screw threadedly mounted. The. pipe 18 terminates in a Ahand operated valve 1li, the purpose of `which is brought out hereinafter. Connected to the valve Mis the pipe 15 which, in the present instance, is directed to the tank of a vacuum cleaning system, but it is to be understood that this pipe might be directe-d to any suitable container wherein a Vvacuum is to bev maintained. The en'ibodimentl of my invention illustrated herein is adapted to be actuated by varying degrees of vacuum, but it is to be understood that certain changes might be made which would'be apparent to anyone skilledin the art that which would permit the employment of the device in connection with a device containing pressure. Hereinafter l refer to the just described mechanism asa pressure operated device for it is apparent' that for varying degrees of vacuum will permit normal air pressure to operate the device. As stated, the pipe 15 is directed to a container 16 which constitutes the tank of a vacuum cleaning system of the pern'ianently installed type. The end of the cylinder 10 opposite the opening 12 is provided with a series of openings 17 which permit normal air pressure to enter the interior of the cylinder 10 above the piston 11. Brackets such as 1S are provided on the cylinder 10 to facilitate the mounting thereof in any desired location.

The koperation of the device thus far described is as follows:

As the amount of vacuum in the container v16 varies it will also vary in the cylinder 10 in the area below the piston 11 for this area is connected to the container 16 through the pipes 13 and 15 and the valve 111. As the vacuum varies, air pressure will enter cylinder 1() above the piston 11 and will actuate said piston Vproportionate to the degree of vacuum below said piston.

Connected to theupper end of the piston 11 is a rod 20, which protrudes through an opening in the walls of the cylinder 1G. 1f desired this rod 20 may be constructed of any suitable length, but I find it preferable 'to foreshorten it and to arrange the rod in the following manner.` As clearly shown in Fig. 1, I have arranged the rod 2O so that it embodies a hollow cent-er, thus forming a construction analogous to a pipe and I preferably provide 1 series of screw threads on the inner side at the outer end of the rod 20. A rod 21 is provided at one end with screw threads adapted to engage screw threads in the end of rod 20. The upper end of the rod 21 protrudes through a guiding hole 22 in a bracketl, which is mounted in any suitable manner in alignment with the cylinder 10. This cnd of the rod 21 carries screw threads adapted to be .la

engaged by a nut 24: and a lock-nut 25. EX- tending between the nut 241 and the bracket 23' is a spring 26, which is disposed around the rod 21 and is adapted to force said rod upwardly against the air pressure on piston 11 through the holes 17. Mounted on the rod 21 between the bracket 23 and the rod 2O are stop members 27 and 2S which have screw threaded portions which engage the screw threads at the respective ends of the rod 21. Lock nuts 29 and 30 engage the stop members CII 27 and 28, respectively, and serve to lock said stop members in position. Slidably mounted on the rod 21 between said members 27 and 28 is a collar 31 having a pin 32 on its outer surface. t i

Mounted preferably inv the position in dicated 1in Fig. 1 is a base plate 33 having alignedpivots 34 and 35 thereon. 'Mounted on the pivots 34 and 35 for swinging y,movement are the members 36 and 37. Members 36 and 37 are provided with engaging gear segments 38 and 39 respectively. Opposite the gear lsegment 38, member 36 is provided with a projection 40 in which slot V41 is prosegment 39 has a projection 42.

.the base plate 33 so as to engage the projec vided that is adapted to engage the pin 32 on the collar 31. The member 37 opposite the Mounted on tion 42 are the adjustable stop members 43 and 44. It is apparent that movement of the collar 31 will be translated through the pin,

. and 42, respectively, and `unitary with these to the pivots.

pivots are the collars 49 and 50 thathave openings therethrough extending at right angles Spacing collars 47 and 48 are provided between collars 49 and 50 and projections 40 and 42. Extending through the openings in the collars 49 and 50 is a rod 51 which is screw-threadedat its ends and adapted for sliding movement through the openings inthe collars 49 and 50. Nuts 54 and 55 are provided on therod 51 and springs 56 and 57 are disposed,-between said nuts and the collars, around the rod 51. It is apparent that when the projections 40 and 42 both move upwardly, the center distance between the pivots and 46 will be reduced and therefore the springs 56 and 57 will be placed under tension. As soon as the point of equi- .librium is passed the springs will snap the parts into engaging position. A'similar action will take place as the projectlons 40 and 42 move downwardly. Such a device is understood in the art and Ais known as an over center device. This construction'provides as quick acting apparatus and serves to hold the device in eitherV its operative position or inoperative position. t

At the outer end of the projection 42 a slot 58is provided.- The slot 58 engages a pin 58V carried on the rod V59 that is mounted for slidingmovement in the brackets 60 and 61. A slidably mounted collar 62 of non-conductive material is provided on the rod-59 and fiXedly mounted collars 63 and 64 are dis- Y and 68.

posed on each'side of said collar 62. lSprings 65 and 66 are disposed between the collars 63 and 62 and 64 and 62 so as to yieldably hold said collar 62 in position. V Mounted on the collar 62 are the contact engaging members 67 and 68. Y In order to prevent undesired turning of the collar 62 the groove 52 is provided in the rod 59 in the pin 53 on the collar 62 rides in said groove. Mounted in the same plane as the brackets 60 and 61 is a contact carrying strip 69 on which the contacts 70 and 71 are provided whichv are adapted to be en# gaged by the contact engaging members 67 The control device just described is adapted oruseto control an electric circuit, but it is to be understood thatany other analogous Control device might be substituted therefor, such as valvemeans and still not de-V part from the purview of Vmy invention.

As stated the control device, heretofore described, is adapted to be used in `connection with permanently installed vacuum cleaning systems. Devices of thiskind include a tank and a means for exhaust-ing the air therefrom. Al suitable pipe system is then directed time the exhausting means V is continuously operated and 1n the event the vacuum becomes through the building in which ,the vacuum cleaning system is contained and cleaningV means are adapted to be attached'to various Voutlets inY this pipe system. At thepresent too high air is admitted into the system through ar relief valve. VThis obviously-reduces the etliciency of the system. -I content plate ob-viating this condition by connecting my control device so that the pipe 15 will be in communication with the main tank ofl such arsystem. Therefore, when `the vacuumin such a system becomes high,the piston 11`will move to the lower part of the cylinder 10 in the manner described. Y This will move the l rod 21 downwardly and will cause the stopV member 27 to engagethe collar 31, it being as-VV` sumed that the projections 40 and 42 have been in their upper position and that the contact engaging members 67 Vand 68 havefbeen engaging contacts 70 and 71.Y As the piston moves. downwardly the stop27 willforce the collar 31 downwardly and when the projections 40 and 42 have passed the-.point of equilibrium, thesprings 56 and 57 Iwill act in the manner described and cause a snap movement of the parts controlled thereby, which will create a quick break between the contacting engaging members 67 and 68 and the contacts 70 and 71. Continued use Vof the system willlower the degree of vacuum in the tank 16 and therefore the piston 11 will be caused to rise, the spring 26 aiding this action.

As soon as the projections 40 and 42 pass the point of equilibrium of the over center means the snapmovement heretofore describedV will take place and will Vcause a quick make of the circuit controlling means. Itis apparent that .the stop members 43 andv44 will limit the movement of the projection ZZandtherefore Vll) control the distance through which the device will operate. A

It is sometimes desired to obtain a high degree of vacuum -in the tank 16. To provide for such a condition I have provided a valve la which is closed'at such a time. pipe 13 the valve 19 is provided which is opened at such a time and this provides equal pressure on each side of the piston 11, and therefore permits the spring 2G to draw the rod 21 into its upper position and thus close the circuit controlling means. After the apparatus has operated for the desired length of time the valve 19 is closed and the valve 14 is opened which permits normal operation of the device.

lVhile I have described my invention in connection with one form of apparatus with whichA it might be used, it is readily apparent that many other analogous uses might be made which would still not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention. As I have stated any type of control ydevice might be substituted in place of the electrical one described.

lVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A eontrollingdevice including, in combination, a pressure operated device, a rod operated by said device having spaced apartadjustable stops thereon, a member slidably mounted on said rod between said stops, a pair of pivotal ly mounted members including engaging segments and projections opposite said segments, a control device including` fixed contact members and a slidably mounted rod carrying contact engaging members, the projection of one of said pivotally mounted members engaging said slidably mounted member on said iirst named rod, the projection of the other of said members being pivotally attached to the sliding rod of said control device.

2. A controlling device including, in combination, pressure operated device, a rod loperated by said device having spaced apart adjustable stops thereon, a member slidably mounted on said rod bet-Ween said stops, a pair of pivotally mounted members including engaging segments and projections opposite said segments, the projection of one member being connected to said slidably mounted member, the projection of the other In the pair of pivotally mounted members including portions providing-,engaging segments and portions providing projections adapted to extend a yay from said portions providing sait segments, collars on said projections adapted to have the openings therein extended toward each other, a bar extended through said collars having screw-threaded portions on the ends thereof extending beyond said collars, spring members disposed between said collars and nuts on said screw-threaded ends adapted to urge said pivotally mounted members so as to tend to move the projecting portions toward each other, one of said projecting portions having a slot formed in the end thereof, a pin on said slidably mounted member adapted to extend through said slot, and a control device adapted to be operated by the other of said project-ions.

.4. A controlling device including in combination a pressure operator device, a rod operated by said device having spaced apart adj ustable stops thereon, a member slidably mounted on said rod between said stops, a pair of pivotally mounted members including portions providing engaging segment-s and portions providing projections adapted to extend away from said portions providing said segments, collars on said projections adapted to have the openings therein extended toward each other, a bar extended through said collars having screw-threaded portions on the ends thereof extending beyond said collars, spring members disposed between said collars and nuts on said screw-threaded ends adapted to urge said pivotally mounted members so as to tend to move the projecting portions toward each other, one of said projections having la slot formed in the end thereof, a pin on said slidably mounted member adaptedto extend through said slot, a control device adapted to be operated by the other of said projections, and adjustable stop members mounted on each side of said last named projection adapted to engage said projection whereby to limit the movement thereof:

5. A device of the class described including a supporting plate, studs mounted on said supporting plate in spaced apart relation, members pivotally mounted on said studs including portions providing segments adapted to be arranged in meshing relation and including projecting portions adapted to extend from said members opposite said segments, collars on said projections adapted to open `toward, each other, a :bar'extended through said collars having screw-threaded portions on the portions.thereofdisposed eX- teriorly of said collars, nut members on said*V screw-threaded end portions, spring members adapted yto urge said pivotally. mounted mem,- bers so as to move'the projections thereon to- '."Ward each other, stop members adjustably mounted on said supportingplate onopposite sides of one of said projections adapted to limit the action of said spring members.

6. A device of the class described including a supporting plate, studs mounted on said supporting plate in spaced apart relation, members pivotally'mounted on said studs including portions providing segments adapted to be arranged in meshing` relation and in cluding projecting portions adapted to extend .Y

from said members opposite said segments,

collars on said projections adapted to open Y to limit the action of said spring members, in f combination Wit-h a'pressure operator device having a rod extending therefrom, adjustable stop members on saidrod, a. member slidable Y on said rod bet-Ween. said adjustable Stop memberspmeans for connecting' one of said projections to said adjustable stop members, and means for connecting the other of said projections to a controlV device.r Y

In testimony ywhereof I allix my signature. p

FRANK n. LUinJEY. 

